b'ROUND 10It really seemed the entire crowd was on the light blue sideOn r e ection, Ricky Hatton may havebroadcaster, and a lot hangs on him being true to his word.injurHatton insisted af signi cant. As he proved against Tength, but he has szyu, y to his hand, his arterwarm or perds that therhaps a rib. eHattons stamina is his strmade more of an impre in Las Vession with hisIt did seem as if he would be tr twice seemed sapped of enerpublic speaking her egas than in the ring. Indeed he went prettyto it here. He started well; indeed, he uewas no injury, that he had merm. But when the storely been mMaybe hes reached his peak, Wgy.ayne weathering a stormuch straight from 12 rounds withbelieved that he had star had died down, Hatton was not able toMcCullough, the Las Vegas-based Irish Juan Urango onto the press conferencehe compared himself to Wted so well that illie Pep, theregain his earlier supremacy, Willie Pepboxer, said. Maybe his lifestyle is catching podium wheregas star Te he told us about how hisAmerican featherweight of the 1940s andhad gone and taken Mr Entertainment withup with him. fellow V om Jones had rung1950s who was so technically good that,him. It was then that the mindashed backHatton will detest the suggestion, but his room to wish him luck (He said:legend has it (wrongly), he once won ait may be that his friendship with Mr said: T e. I said: Tom who? HeHatton may have been overowing a punch. estimatingto hisnest moment, against Kostyathe fast-twitchbres of his body. It was Its Tom herom Jones. I said: Bollocks.)round without thr Tszyu 19 months ago. Against Tszyu,Guinness and fast food has begun to dull and about how awkward an opponentHattons workrate had been phenomenalbound to happen at some stage, if not at the Urango had been (Its very frustratinghimself, but after therst nd his range andround, whichand undiminishing. Here, against a lesserage of 28. was close, he began to when youre hitting someone like I was he won the second, third and fourth with anopponent, his workrate slowed and heIt was this subject that Bob Arum, all night and F-all happens.) ease and a class that emphasised the gulf instarted thrwarowing single punches and thenCastillos promoter, came straight to after And yes, Urango had indeed beenquality. By the fourth he was dancing roundfalling for d into the clinch. One punch,the bout. Arum will co-promote the bout Hattons ar that Urango was str character, this was the staccato rotally out of hythmHatton to put on a good show. He obserests for ved cutsclinch; one punch, clinch. Tfrustrating. Fmourrustratingly impery, frustratingly strvious to ong, sohis rival,ring off hooks and upperuggling to spot. The t ofwith which he elected to defend his clearagainst Castillo and it is in his interdurable that he denied Hatton a showpiecechampion was slow of pace and shor that Hatton and Castillo had been a little knock ced him to go nose to noseideas. He seemed to be doing well merelylead.disappointing and noted that Hattons to theout and for to withstand the assault.According to Hatton, this was tactical.ener end of the twelfth beforweight cre claimingowntheThat was why thatfth round was aWhy make yourself vulnerable, he asked,progrgy levels had fallen as the bout Colombians IBF light-welter essed. The key to both these guys is on a unanimous points decision.surprise. The Hatton camp knew to expectwhen you are so far ahead on points?that they dont balloon up, he said. All thrth only one of the 12 r Colombian connected with a series of shotsWhy, indeed? But four rounds is a long hythmThe good news is that Hatton will have ebabs been wor ee judges agreed that Urango had ounds andUrango to go to the body and when thetime to play out the punch-clinch r little time to work on his beer-and-kwhile that was a little hard on him, theirin quick succession, he dr and Hatton did not look as if he had theregime. What also augurs well is that it didect Hattons superior ring-craft.with a force that would inove them homeuence the rest ofreserves to box in any other way. He looked scores rey they do not tell is of how badly the contest.spent. Hatton insisted that he was boxingnot take long for him to acknowledge that The stor he was only reasonably happy with his Hatton was hurength desert in the ted him in thefth round andnalImmediately, Hatton prm. He was still carotected his chestclever. I think I know when to hold on anddays work. He gave himself seven out of how his str with his right ar nick a rest, he said. e are age and lifestyle.ten. throes of the bout.pain in the sixth round, but by the eighth it rying theThe issues herThere are two ways of looking at this.was clear that Urangos offensive had hadIf he had not faded in a similar way inEven that seems genere, though, that many ous. He has made You can admire Hattons guile forndinglasting effect. Indeed, Hattons right handhis previous bout, against Luis Collazo,so many friends herhad become so ineffective that it seemedwhen he won the WBA welterweight titlewant to see him push himself closer to a hard path to victory, or you can question tainment andreasonable to assume he had picked up aneight months ago, they might not seem soperfection again. what happened to Mr Enterthe performance that the British challenger64 2WCTHETIMESMondayJanuary222007promised would dazzle boxings capital city.Sport Dust-upinthedesert BoxingDust-upinthedesertThe Mancunian hordes wholled theBoxingeither way obably not give a stuff as Vegas,The per The the world-title The j cent of a 26.8 hasKostya lin of on consecutive a rate cent each oft 34.1arena would pr. They have enjoyed L DistancenoobjectasHatton Numbers 4 won, of up titlethey have let the city know that they areearnsreturntickettoVegas TheMnumber anded challenges UrangothatHattonhere and so loudly did they r Collazo ancunian losingandTszyu,following MaussaCarlos number success ofduring hisLuishetomans victory that it seemed as though evel in theirHatton number landed,perof punches258bout,the entire 6,379 crowd was on the light- 153 rate1 the punchesblue side. Many of them will star Urango udges wonscorecards successtomorrow for Hattons next bout, which t savingUrango forhe numberof bout $500,000 the rounds Hotel Paris the ofseatLas bout Headtothehead:verdict,Hattonbelow.followedHatton,apainfulpath was tovictory theone as smiling hetook after on the Urango, contest right. ashe After began 12gruelling tolookforward both toanother menclaimed in that boxings they capital haddoneinJune enoughtowas con rmed immediately afterwards as$500 The onSky ringside secure however, rounds, boutVegasCasinoataThetpriceHattons priceBoxtoOfficewatchandbeing back in Las Vegas on June 2 or 23,14.95$2m champion,when he will defend his title against Jos uggleddefending forthebout. estimatedLuis Castillo, the Mexican who str earned Urango,(aboutpursethe253,000)through 12 rounds against HerNgoudjo before winning a split decision on mann the same bill. Already Hatton is hailing the Castillov Soaking like He had Tom been I 1than twas ing. to he Slot an where up 12 the went a had all the rk Chief very did tr punishment: atingso and ly the ith made ring. per- f-all Las his TheTimes the one their that hard they that of he knockout ath was hreea this. not was nd are to im granted little tell how two nose in ld H and for atton whis ays exclusive or thea orth ow of you while fifth tory that him can the to of a accesstoHattonsdressing-roomashecelebratedbeatingUrangoonperformance it are Mr blue will have start the give letM side. in on their the to contest and a next as une jot takethatpossessiontheandBritishtheof city ist was so he title as o back of n 23, way. the the that ity. in he they they J wos who that will Las the ho hetheknock trueIt and has the gulf the spot. that If was Hatton it in did to same firsthe and class true off and us, aso a want it the he seem It here. may he that wellto a rhetoric the will to lot h ais saidof By Heif watch ave he be that word. the w that, hthe to illieeachtwobeother,guyslt that once e bbut his lastwithof of slowto ease whis the the he so as a that his had ed the seemed of to pace m was died sixth m to hand still was to andbeshortdoingof toaasw it Cgo t ly, thad was the tothehaH assault. a t to it well the rest the force to n ideas. ib. was by merelyHe pain e to tethe fifth that that The and had had not the his cin so in t- is with a had and you this self be finest The a n he long moment, to 19 his H so ay. into hold way far hewon eworkrate here had t out I he he in one his ofelected nd are box on p faded age C Inick Kostya One and and a this tny in- he he win him the his end A 6 the welterweight and ago, tion, e fast the of in o ut the a s n him. IBF belt w but be lifestyle title He Irish to theto n Las he retire est ot eight only be boxer, of shas toeh he is that of monthsisg- said. sto of his the o that ges- shasL his his i a to was him with is a body. of at It The 28.wasstraight see only It guys him Cfor sthat up, ad was even astillo this fallen is H bound not H to out work. after not observed h 62 take key as to to it ten. at had the that the He put ithe to s happen n both bout bout on thata Bob and age hisTop (Itshitting Marc straight piece crownIonBF been reflect alight-welter- 6,379 pointsEntertainment spent didThey being IBFyoulight-welterweight wouldwell;hadbe edThatwithhomethesuccession, Hatton isoright drove Tszyu, tactical. startedthrowing lesser Tszyu, Matthew ctyle foodwithhasfibresbegun round energy. interests hasthough, days Hatton ifand ofmany energycontest as a classic - If you want to watchentertainment to of Sports Juan Reporter denied tbefore forced forced show- challenger enjoyed eLither loudly Vegas, them pcrobably build-up helltoheout toAmerican started filled althoughtithhe round withstandcamp ewith series awhysurprise.that connect- opponent, whichthe monthsagainstworkrateago. aclinch. uanslowed nificant. theyAsmigreachedheht itillmay detMr proved emthestwiceArum, some hthat stage, astillos subject promoter, beentwo guys knock hell out of each other,Owen gom Hatton rosuforndsatastoaiBritonclnmeaimnt,woris fewe tirtlfore filled seemed crowdMany though know victory would Urango. ndthree-bout hangsdealonbroad-whim Hatton influencewith knew theofhebshotsodyexpect ishing. phHenere,ohmandis attons Why against asked, Against strength, fast-twitch staminaissaid. came Cco-promote ibout.TszyuIndeed, torounds hepress almost iconferencepoints wasthehad12 ring-craft. claiming onbadly dazzletheboxingsancunianarenapromisedcapitalhordeswould against when light- watch ndfeatherweight hohePep,washelegend when storm. ediatcarrying injury, proarm. punches wasTotally clearstaccato imhad WayneHattonsheshisMsappedcCullough, Ricky, isagainst good thathisonWdidhathis The Ceattons many augurslongworfellteowatch us, he said - although the samehow Photographs his had mayherehavewAspland Colombians rounds tounanimous notThehere looked mans bout, clever entire Hattons himself believed sencounter com-a Urango ceffect. olombian become ofthat forward areindeed. clinch; nalthen make dsingle seemed family Hatton affair peak, against littleanddisappointing thappyHBO, them falling Maybe levelsRicky impression revel caster, quick punch, punch, Vegas-based hecatching Arumshow.will astillomore phonedVheegasspokehisroomTomto weight doscores what hurtishardofinTheh agreed Hattons wasboxinginsisted whichafter-wasfor American without good egan wonwith eenwonver-a would mind down, offensive hand, clinch. similarhissues didtimenotHeButtorhythmlookedlookthattoplayf onthinkand character, Maybe blder estnotcareer intitle. ensure ugdull Hatton made beer-and-kebabsVegas Urango Frusnight indeed aboutrangosItshowaid: Urango hguile Youthe canfinding shim, but saving immediately decision started adancing round, round whichfind second, HeIhis armupmorerelyaninsisted weathering wasAccording insisted Luisntheot your- upHwithatbt erformance produced progressed. wins,pushpageagain.thatso alsolittle imself hatgaveh closerrhetoriclled the build-up to the encounterpublicspeaking against nstar, inabout toAllgotwelfthnosetdecision. ojudges wand endonly Hatton being tomorrow indeed, (wrongly), 1950s Wthrowing anoafter contest. hestround, injuryhishseemed defend vulnerable, tohelead.Hatton, rhythmto friendship pbrother, back forced tGuinness noted goodhave hethatsaid. newstheyistimedontthatUrango pared eighth Why, points? thesewith Urango. It will be the last of Hattonspodium, 2fellow Hattons frustrating superior victory, finalstrength Hattons asJthrough 2aorMexican rounds 1940s Urango bhimself, thefourth rival, Urangos regain Indeed,butclearhadrHattons punch-clinch when 34-bout international Hatton balloon toitwillacknowledge generous.from someonedeserted throes wards Castillo,h split12Ngoudjo technically quality.ookswasandstrugglinguppercutswas right ohatassumeaafterwards Hatton eheIfsaid. ispent. Manchester. true, Toatbeatiots Hatton seems wantthree-bout deal with HBO, the AmericanJones, ustrayoure strong, Tomsaid:UIwho? Hatton happened theadmire confirmed winning Hatton bill.asisahclassicailing punch. fourth hemphasised lasting perhaps storm Hatton thewreserves aheadourasoutherounds would omeseventh Vegas Frank regime. reasonably friendsround reasonable boxing knowa Houghtaling workwishsaid:himhere.luckaTomnIosaid:pponentandJones.He armoury, round look- Vegas sameHermann estimating Thehchampion ineffective flashedhbackisearlier other clever. nifwas taking himselfBollocks. struggled close, picked hadthereButwasbeenwhenno rest, against reviouswelterweight toEvenawkward Luisdefend third heHatton when here,frhen ingtheaptbout.a onAlready range whenwious durable ofThere before ableThe bout, WBAin Witterhappens.) imbeen Hattons against firing supremacy. lifestyle. ollazo, dream Heperfectionfrustratingly question CastilloBallroom, Paris Las Vegas, 9.39pm, Saturday 20th January 2007, Ricky plants gentle kiss on Urangos headDustUPINTHEDESERT(a).indd52-53 22/5/0709:36:47page 40'